Pink Princess Philodendron: 11 Critical Problems & Fixes!

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Are you having problems growing your Philodendron Pink Princess? Are you nervous that your precious plant is going to die? These plants are difficult to find and have gotten very expensive, so it is important to understand how to save your plant!

I’ve compiled all the main problems that people have asked me about concerning their Pink Princess. Let’s get to it!

Frequently Asked Questions and Problems

1. How can I encourage more variegation in my plants?

Growing your plant in proper light is the best thing that you can do to encourage the beautiful pink coloration in the leaves.

This means it absolutely must be in front of a window, unless you have it growing under a grow light.

A bit of direct sun will be great, but it should not sit in too much direct sun. Eastern or Western exposure windows will work well, as well as most Northern windows.

Not all windows are created equal however, so you’ll have to experiment. Avoid too much direct sun or the leaves may scorch and the color will wash out.

If your plant has reverted to mostly green leaves, you will need to prune your plant before it’s too late and the plant produces nothing but green leaves. Simply prune your plant back to the last leaf that has balanced variegation.

The plant will grow back, hopefully with more balanced variegation.

2. How can I get all pink leaves?

Everyone’s dream is to have all pink leaves, but the fact is that you really don’t want your plant to have all pink leaves! Sure, it can be a treat, but the plant can not sustain it.

Leaves that are all pink (or all white in many other variegated plants) don’t have any chlorophyll that’s needed to sustain the leaf, so it won’t last as long as a leaf with balanced variegation. Eventually your all pink leaf will be “disposed” of by the plant.

If you do get all pink leaves, you actually want to prune those out. You can enjoy them for a while, but the plant can not sustain such growth. Similar to point #1 above where I talked about pruning all green leaves, you’ll want to prune your all pink leaves out.

Prune the vine back to a leaf that has balanced variegation. This will encourage new growth with more of a balance in variegation.

3. My plant just came in the mail recently and it doesn’t look so good. How can I save it?

Variegated plants are just not as vigorous as non-variegated plants, and time spent in shipping can be hard on any plant! There are a few things that you should do and NOT do when you first receive your plant in the mail.

Your plant will go through a transition period so there are a few things to keep in mind.

DOs

Unpack your plant as soon as you receive it and remove anything it was packaged in (any plastic wrap, packing paper, etc.)

Feel the soil of your plant. If it is dry, be sure to give it some water.

Place your plant by a window, but away from any direct sun for at least a couple weeks.

If you’ve received your plant bare root, pot your plant up in a good well-drained potting soil, give it some water, and place your plant in indirect light as described in the point above.

DONTs

Don’t repot right away! Wait at least 1 month before repotting. Your plant is already stressed from being shipped in the mail, so you will be making matters much worse if you repot right away.

For the same reason, don’t fertilize for at least a month.

Your plant will need to go through a transition period, and then you can follow normal Philodendron Pink Princess care.

4. All my other Philodendrons are happy except for my Pink Princess. Why?

The Philodendron genus as a whole is a happy-go-lucky genus of houseplants. Most make wonderful houseplants indoors.

Variegated plants, which have less chlorophyll, are just less vigorous growers than their non-variegated counterparts. It is absolutely normal for your Pink Princess to grow slower and not be as vigorous as your other Philodendrons.

Be sure to give your plants good light and regular fertilizer during the growing season. My favorite houseplant fertilizer is Dyna-Gro Grow, available on Amazon. It is truly amazing!

5. My pink leaves are starting to burn brown. Why?

This can be caused by a variety of reasons. If there is any deficiency in plant culture, the variegated leaves can turn brown.

Brown leaves can be cause by scorching from too much direct sun, from very dry air (keep your plant away from heating vents), from the soil drying out completely, or from improper watering (too much or too little).

If you have your plant in a pot that is much too big for the root system, the soil will take a long time to dry out and this can also cause brown spots on the leaves.

It is also normal for highly pink leaves to eventually turn brown because the plant can’t sustain them for too long.

6. Why are my leaves curling under?

Improper watering is most likely to blame. When you water, you should water thoroughly until water escapes the drainage hole. Then wait until the top inch or two dries out (depending on the size of the pot).

People are SO scared of overwatering, and this term doesn’t mean what most people think it means!

At the same time, you want to have your plant in good light as described earlier in this post or in my Pink Princess care post.

Take note of only repotting your plant in the next pot size up from the size that it’s currently in. Don’t be tempted to repot into a pot that is much bigger, otherwise you run the risk of having the soil taking too long to dry out. This could cause your leaves to curl and also get brown spots.

7. Why are my my new leaves small, misshapen and sometimes torn?

Extremes in moisture and/or not enough light are likely to blame for misshapen leaves.

If your new leaves are growing much smaller than the old leaves, it probably means that your plant is growing in less than ideal conditions.

Ensure that your plant is growing in appropriate light (as close to a window as possible!), and that you are regularly fertilizing with a great fertilizer such as Dyna-Gro Grow. These will promote good, healthy growth!

8. My plant is leggy. What should I do with it?

You are likely not giving your plant enough light. Be sure that it is in front of a window (North, East, or West is best). Within a foot or so for best growth! I can’t emphasize this enough.

If you can’t stand the look of your plant, take the opportunity to prune your plant back and propagate your plant. Once you move your plant to brighter light, it will grow back sturdier than ever before.

If you want to rejuvenate your plant and start from scratch, and your plant is big enough to propagate, check out my step by step post on Philodendron Pink Princess Propagation: 3 Easy Methods!

9. Why are my leaves yellowing?

There are numerous reasons why houseplant leaves turn yellow. If you just received your plant in the mail, don’t be surprised if your plant gets a yellow leaf or two. Be sure to follow the tips in point #3 to transition your plant to your home.

10. Is it normal for my plant to shed its lower leaves?

No leaves will last forever. Eventually plants will shed some leaves, and the lower ones are often the first to go. It doesn’t necessarily mean that anything is wrong.

That being said, if you allow your soil to go completely dry, often times the lowest leaves can quickly turn yellow and fall off.

11. I can’t seem to find a Pink Princess! Where can I get one?

Remember, to grow a beautiful houseplant, you have to have the right combination of LIGHT, proper watering practices, a well-drained soil, proper sized pot, and regular fertilization for best results!